What's new in QuickOPC 2018.2

See also: Versions; Previous version: What's new in QuickOPC 2018.1

Internal version number: 5.53

Key changes:

• (tbd)

Targeting

• Added official support for .NET Framework 4.7.1.
• Added support for Windows Server version 1709 (x64) and Windows Server 2016 Core (x64), with limitations. Only runtime (no development) is supported under Server Core systems, and some minor features in the GUI (such as launching a browser from the controls or dialogs) do not work. For details, consult the documentation.
• Development tools: Visual Studio 2017 Community added to the list of primary development tools.

Licensing

• The OpcLabs.BaseLibForms assembly now uses Krypton software library, and if you redistribute this assembly, you need to comply with its license terms (permissive license that, in principle, only requires a proper attribution). Krypton software license terms are included in the documentation.
• The (GUI-based) License Manager utility and the (console-based) LMConsole utility now (in addition to .BIN files) also accept license key files with .TXT extension (in Base64 format).

Installation and Uninstallation

• Significantly reduced the size of the full installer by moving the documentation file for Visual Studio integration to a Web location instead. The installer downloads this file automatically when needed.
• The Full Installer gives a warning when run on Server Core system (such as Windows Server version 1709), suggesting that the user should use the Production Installer instead.

Component Improvements

• When the effective endpoint selection policy specifies that no OPC UA security is to be used, the component now (by default) connects to the server without a call to the discovery (GetEndpoints service). This makes the connection process faster, and allows (insecure) connections to servers that do not support the GetEndpoints service.
• Added a boolean DiscardOldest property to UAMonitoringParameters. The value specifies whether to discard the oldest notification when a new notification is to be queued into a full queue. Default is 'true' (i.e. gives the same behavior as in previous versions).
• Added UACallArguments constructor overloads that accept an array of TypeCode as an argument (previously, just array of Type was supported).
• Performance improvements in OPC UA when large number of elements is involved in Read, Write, CallMethod or Subscribe.

OPC UA Endpoint Selection

• Added an DataEncodingName property to the UAEndpointSelectionPolicy class. Specifies the name of the data encoding of the endpoint (Binary, XML, or an empty string for both).
• Added a RequireConfidentiality property to the UAEndpointSelectionPolicy class. Specifies whether communication confidentiality is required (usually provided by encryption).
• Added a RequireIntegrity property to the UAEndpointSelectionPolicy class. Specifies whether communication integrity is required (usually provded by signing).
• Added a RejectObsoleteSecurityPolicies property to the UAEndpointSelectionPolicy class. Specifies whether endpoints with obsolete security policies will be rejected.
• Added an EndpointSelectionPolicy property to the UAEndpointDescriptor class. When set to non-null, it overrides the endpoint selection policy specified in the session parameters, and allows to specify the policy just for this endpoint.
• Added a SecurityPolicyDisplayName property to the UAEndpointSelectionPolicy. When not an empty string, specifies the display name of the required security policy of the endpoint.
• Added static NoMessageSecurity property to the UAEndpointSelectionPolicy class. Contains and endpoint selection policy that only allows connections with no message security.
• Added static GuaranteedIntegrity property to the UAEndpointSelectionPolicy class. Contains and endpoint selection policy that guarantees communication integrity.
• Added static GuaranteedIntegrityExcludingObsolete property to the UAEndpointSelectionPolicy class. Contains and endpoint selection policy that guarantees communication integrity, excluding obsolete security policies.
• Added static GuaranteedIntegrityAndConfidentiality property to the UAEndpointSelectionPolicy class. Contains and endpoint selection policy that guarantees integrity and confidentiality, excluding obsolete security policies.
• Added a read-only IsPrecise property to the UAEndpointSelectionPolicy. Determines whether the endpoint selection policy specifies (together with a URL) a precise endpoint.

User Interface

• The context menu on OPC UA endpoint nodes now contains an additional "Endpoint Selection Policy..." command, allowing the user to influence the endpoint selection on specific node only.
• The context menu on OPC UA endpoint nodes now contains an additional "Certificate Acceptance Policy..." command, allowing the user to influence how the certificates are accepted on that specific endpoint only.
• The User Identity dialog (available through context menu on OPC UA endpoint nodes) now contains an an additional Properties tab with detailed settings organized in a property grid.
• The User Identity command, and other context menu commands son the OPC UA endpoint nodes that modify some endpoint parameters, now have a visual distinction when the corresponding parameters differ from the default. The non-default value is indicated by a blue square border around the icon associated with the command.

Excel Option

• Added a new documentation topic explaining the installation of the Excel Option (the choices to be made in the Setup program).

Instrumentation

• Added warning log entry when OPC UA application name contains improper characters.
• Added informational log entry listing the parameters of the selected (and normalized) OPC UA endpoint.

Tools

Connectivity Explorer

• The main application windows (Point Editor, Parameters Editor, and Live Point Data) are now part of a docking workspace that allows you to arrange them in various ways (drag-and-drop to move between the cells, or dock, make floating or auto-hidden) or close.
• The Event Records window (opens as floating window initially) can now be docked and/or manipulated in a similar way as the main application windows.
• Added commands under the View menu to open or re-open the individual main application windows (Point Editor, Parameters Editor, and Live Point Data).
• Added Window -> Reset Window Layout command, to restore the original structure of application windows.
• Data change filter for OPC-UA Attribute Point can now be comfortably edited, without having to switch to Properties tab. This includes all trigger choices, deadband type choices, and the actual absolute or percentual deadband value (using a numerical up-down control, or a slider).
• Percent deadband for OPC-DA Item Point can now be comfortably edited, using a numerical up-down control, or a slider, and without having to switch to Properties tab.
• Drop-down combos for point type now include an icon that corresponds to the selected point type.
• Enriched some menu commands by icons.

Documentation and Help

• Improved navigation for examples.
• As described above (Installation and Uninstallation), the Visual Studio help contents is now downloaded from a Web location.

Examples

• Added C# examples where so far only COM-based examples existed.
• Improved Delphi (Object Pascal) examples with proper use of automatic reference counting (ARC) and explicit object deallocation (prevent memory leaks).